Customer Reviews

When Juniper Sleeps

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Once you listen to Seamus perform on any of the multitude of instruments that he is capable of playing, you'll understand the meaning of a musical prodigy. Seamus's music lives and breathes, far beyond the expert talent required for speedy reels and jigs to soft moving airs. This album defines Irish music that refuses to let go of your soul. His abilities are quite simply beyond reproach. An absolute requirement for any Celtic music lover.

I don't know how it took me sooo long to discover Seamus Eagan. I thought I was pretty well rounded musically, but this was a huge gap. This guy can bring a tear to your eye on one track and have you up dancing naked around the Celtic bonfires of your ancestors on the next track!! Then he fires up the -what is it, a 5 string banjo??- and you could be in Nashville!! Can it get any better? Now I'm horrified to see this album's not available on Amazon. People, you must find this album however you can. It's guaranteed to transport you out of this troubled world for just as long as you want.

Seamus Egan starts off with his traditional Irish music genre, and on this CD, adds influences of New Age, jazz, Western swing, oh maybe Klezmer... I can hear sounds that remind me of Leo Kottke and Bela Fleck... this is very tasty listening music, well done and all the musicians play as well as Egan who is some kind of genius. I grin, thinking what kind of totally intense fanatic musician he must be! Yet nothing sounds driven or tense at all; this is thoroughly relaxing and can put you into a space resembling a great high quite without any of those "substances". Maybe this is so addictive that it should be illegal.

Just don't buy it thinking you're going to hear pure traditional Irish music 'cuz it goes 'way beyond that.

I bought this album after hearing an interview with Seamus on NPR. I have played it many many many times and loved it each one. I loaned it to a friend and counted myself lucky when he returned it. The tunes are so graceful and compelling that I find myself weaving them into my consciousness in ways that inevitably make me smile.

Fantastic music by an incredibly talented artist. When Juniper Sleeps is a "must have" for any fan of Irish or ecclectic music. Flute, guitar, and beautiful melodies... calming -- great relaxing music. For something more exhilarating -- check him out in Solas!

I too bought this CD many many years when I heard the Brothers McMullen Soundtrack and found that Seamus Egan far outshown a movie that was, unfortunately, fairly forgettable. Mr. Egan plays so many of these instruments with a breeziness the belies their difficulty, making the listener think that it must be EASY to play that many instruments. He certainly has a gift. And if you are interested in traditional Celtic music or even Appalachian bluegrass, this album is a must buy.

These are the most lyrical instrumentals you will ever here. My very favorite CD, it's perfect for many moods. Play it on hot summer evenings sipping a beer on the porch, it's perfection. I've seen Seamus at least 10 times and he still amazes me.

Of the 13 instrumental tracks constituting Seamus Egan's WHEN JUNIPER SLEEPS, five are traditional songs arranged by Egan, two are original works by modern artists, and six are Egan's own original compositions. About two-thirds of the selections are downtempo.

There's no denying Seamus Egan's virtuosity with an impressive panoply of traditional instruments, and clearly this album moves many listeners; the effluence and articulateness of Egan's strings, in particular, is a sheer joy (e.g., the arrangements of "Masons Apron" and "The Czar of Munster"). Nonetheless, some listeners may not enjoy the overt sentimentality that pervades Egan's own compositions, whose very titles betray their mawkishness ("Weep Not for the Memories"; "When Last We Met").

While the saccharine quality seems to predispose some of Egan's work to film soundtracks, affectation does not translate into great composition. Egan was relatively young when he first published this album in 1996; one hopes that in the interim his message has matured to a level congruous with his impressive technical skill.

As another reviewer wrote, this CD truly is perfect for many moods. Although it is seven years old, it has never been archived to my CD cabinet. Friends still thank me for the gift. This is truly as special masterpiece!

I'm frankly shocked to see a tepid review of this album here. A friend bought this for me in 1997 and - surprising even me - it instantly became one of my top five albums of all time. On my iTunes, every track on this album is five stars. Its course runs the entire gamut of emotions - you'll know every tune by heart after just a couple listens...I don't know what happens, but it gets in your heart, not just your ears. I've turned more people on to this album than any other - and it doesn't matter what your "typical" musical style is. This album is accessible yet challenging, complex in its musicianship but straightforward in its melodies, and utterly brilliant. An absolute "must have" for every music collection.